Composition for removing paint, varnish, and the like.



UNITED sT r s PATENT ormon.

FRANCIS P. DUNNINGTON, 0F CHARLOTTESVILLE, AND MILTQN C, HILL, (3F GORDONS- VILLE, VIRGINIA.

COMPOSITION FOR REMOVING PAINT, VARNISE, AND THE nine.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern? Be it known that we, FRANois 1. Dun- NINGTON and MILTON C. HILL, citizens of the United States, residing at Charlotte-wine and Gordonsville, respectively, in the counties of Albemarle and Orange and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compositions for Removing Paint, Varnish, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a composition for the removal of paints, varnishes and similar surface-coatings.

Paints, as ordinarily made, include linseed oil and closely kindred compounds; whereas, varnishes comprise a. great variety of gums, resins, etc, the composition of many of which is practically unknown. Our composition is designed to be used effectively upon such paints and varnishes.

A primary object of the invention is to produce a. composition which contains causwhich, at the same time,

tic soda and borax, but which shall have none of the corrosive action that is ordinarily inherent in the caustic soda and possesses suliicient solvent; power.

The invention, therefore, contemplates a composition produced by the mixing of caustic soda and borax, in such proportion of the borax that it will neutralize or remove the corrosive character of the caustic soda without materially reducing its solvent power to dissolve dry paints and varnishes.

he substance so formed is only to be designated, technically, as trisodium ortho borate, as distinguished from any mixture of these bodies which when containing any larger proportion of caustic soda would include free sodium hydrate.

Another object of the invention is the production of a non-inflammable, non-corrosive composition which will readily cliniinate or neutralize the binding properties of the surface-coatings to be removed, and which composition has no burning or other injurious effect upon the skin of the user,

and which will not corrode, burn or stain the surfaces on which the coating is to be removed, nor the implement with which it is applied.

Many so-called paint removers contain oily substances or materials which combine with the oils in the surface-coating and leave a greasy residue after the coating has Speciflcation of Letters Patent Futonted Apr. 4, 1916.

been loosened. This sometin'ies prevents the proper adherence of the next coat of paint to be :1 pplicd thereto. wherefore it is another object of the present invention to provide a composition which shallcontain no oily substances and which will not combine with the oils in the coating so as to leave an oleagi nous scum, etc... but rather a soapy residue which may he washed off by cold water.

Still another object within the contemplation of the invention is to eliminate all obnoxious odors from the composition, the selection of its ingredients being such that no disagreeable odors prevail; and, more over, E ingredients are all comparatively sutlicwnt (pundit oi the borax is employed, the iiieutralizinc viii-ct thereof on the caustic soda will n t or sulliciently material to eliminate tho marosive action of the soda. In practice, we have found that the borax, to have sullieicnt neutralizing efi'ect, should be in the proportion, approximately, of 1 to 1, or, exactly stated, the proportion of horax to the caustic soda would be as 382 of horax t 40!) of soda. In other words, since llOlltX has the composition 2+ 1 G'YEIBOW" 382 molecular weight,

and caustic soda is expressed by lilNallfi -lfifl molecular weight,

when horax and caustic soda are mixed in equal amounts, no form Na}: l (13 0,) .,{-10H,O

must be written as r 5 r n 2'i 2 inwhich half of thr water is basic (tri- Sutillllll ortho phosphate is Na,PO,; sodium acid phosphate is NaH PO and sodium acid horate or horax is XaH B O )or and in nhich hut one of the six atoms of hydrogen is replaced h v the basic sodium, whereas. in our composition. all six of the atoms of basic hydrogen in the formula H 3 0 are replaced by sodium, forming Kim-B 0 or M 13! 1 the recognized formula for horacic acid lveing PLBJ) or H 3 0 The "sodium acid liorate. called commerciall "horax," has decided solvent effects upon some gums such as shella:; but it has a weak or practically no solvent effect upon some other gums used in varnishes and paints; wher as, upon these last-men tinned gums. caustic soda would have an effective solvent action hut, at the same time would he seriousl i harmful because of its corrosive character. Xowfhy comhining the horax with the caustic soda in a prcde termined proportion. as already explained. we neutralize the corrosive action of the caustic soda without removing the solvent. power which it has upon the latter suhstances. this solvent effect being. po'ssihl v. increased by the inherent solvent power of the l orax. Therefore. with our improved form of composition. we are able to treat paints and some kinds of varnishes which heretofore have not yielded to the action of similar compositions of any non-corroshe water) liquids. Also included in our composition. preferably, ammonia. in a pro portion presently to be specified: Ammonia has a solvent etlect. upon many paints and varnishes hut. hecause of its volatility. it would not remain sulficiently long in action to have proper solvent effect upon certain gums. .\s generally known, ammonia comhine with acids. weak and strong. Paints and varnish gums include feebl v acid ho dies. that is. they are generally regarded as weakly acidic. The ammonia, similarly to caustic soda. ordinaritvwould combine with these weak acids: hut. in our composition, we hciieve that in this mixture the boracic acid presentjends to diminish the volatility of the ammonia so that it is less evanescent. wherefore. it will longer remain active and. consequently. have an increased solvent power upon the gums. Ammonia in comhination with some weak organic acids has very peculiar solvent effects upon certain hodics ordinarily otherwise regarded as quite in-olnhlez for instance. amn'ionium itrate dissoli'in; dicalcic phosphate. or ammonium acetate dissolving lead sulfate. Moreover. under the modern theory of hydrolysis. we are led to helieve tliat the ammonia included in the mixture will be held therein to a greater extent than when employed alone. and in conjunction with the sodium horate the mixture becomes effective upon a greater range and variety of gums such as are used in making varnishes.

In using this composition or remover, the -olutions may he em 'il'oyed in their clear state. or they may he mixed with some inactive powder. such as finely divided tripoli,

'atcr of ammonia "Spafis lrisodiluu ortho horate 2 parts odium carhonate 1 part Water 10 parts 2i parts The preferred formula for the paste is as follows 2 Stronger ammonia 3 parts 'lrisodium ortho borate- 2 parts Sodium carbonate 1 part (ommon soap 1 part 'ater 15 parts Tripoli or diatomaceons earth 10 parts 32 parts The sodium carbonate is preferably introduced into the mixture so as to strengthen the solution, and also it has a thickening etl'ect thereon. It also cheapens the composition, in that less of the sodium borate is required. It is to be understood, of course. that it, may be omitted.

It is to be understood that water of ammonia is always 10% (U. S. P.) while stronger ammonia is 28% (U. S. P.). lhcrctore in the ,tirst' mentioned formula the water of ammonia of 8 parts, contains 10 parts ammonia gas and 7: parts water while in the second formula the stronger :umnonia. 3 parts. contains 84/100 parts ammonia gas and 2.16 parts of water. The trisodinm orthohorate and the sodium carhonatc is the same in each formula and the amount of water of crystallization in these hrings the water up to approximately 20 parts. l'ndcrstanding these as of I. S. P. strength. we see that the expressions harnn-ni'lze. in mixing and using so strong solutions of ammonia. necessarily it escapes to an uncertain extent. so that no exact figures can be expected to obtain. Obviously. the. proportions of these various ingredients may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit of the invention; and some of them may be en: tirely omitted, so long as the sodium borate (as technically hereinabove expressed) is retained, with or without the ammonia. The composition, in addition to being noncorrosive, is non-inflammable.

From the foregoing, it will be perceived that we have produced .a composition which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, is easily applied, has no corrosive action upon the skin of the user, is non-inflammable, and is very eifective in performing its function.

What we claim is;

1. A non-corrosive non-inflammable composition for removing paint, varnish and similar snrfacecoatings, which includes causticsoda and a borate in proportion to remove the corrosive character of the'socla. 2. A nonscorrosive, non-inflammable composition foi'. removing paint, yarnish and similar surface-coatings, which includes caustic soda and-boracic acid in proportion to removest'he' corrosixe character of the soda.

3. A non-corrosive,- npn-infiammable composition for removing paint varnish and similar surface-coatings, which includes caustic soda and a horate in proportion to remove the corrosive character 'of the soda,

and ammonia,

4. A non-corrosive, non-inflammable com position for removing paint, varnishand caustic soda, borax and ammonia-gas, in

substantially equal proportion.

6. A composition for removing paints,

varnishes and similar surface-coatings, which includes, approximately, 2 parts of trisodium ortho borate, approximately 1 part of ammonia-gas, approximately 1 part of carbonate of soda, :1 parts of water, and a thic ening substance comprising a diatomaceous earth.

7. A composition for removing paints, varnishes and similar surface-coatings, which includes, approximately, 2 parts of trisodium ortho borate, approximately 1 part of ammonia-gas. approximately l'part of carbonate of soda, approximately 20 proximately 20 parts of ater, a thickening substance comprising a diatomaceous earth, and soap.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANCIS P. DUNNINGTGN. MILTON o. HILL.

Witnesses:

R. M. MCCLURE, J. C. GRAVES.

Corre'ctibni'fi Letters Patnt N0.,1,177 ,9,38.

It is herobu. oeriifia that in Lettem Patent No. 15177.938. muted April 4,191

upon the anolicationiof Francis Dunnington, of Charlottesfille, and Milton G.

Hill, of- Gqrdonsvilie, Virginia for an improvemen in Gdmposition for Remowng Paint, Vainih, and the like." an error appears inthe printed specifiizatioii raquir- .ing correction as follows. Page 2, line 81, for the word paste read compo- ,sitian; and that the said'L etters Pabentshould be read with this c'ormation therein than the same ma-v eonfhrm to the record of the case in the 1 mm. Office.

si mmnd smiled this 18th day of July, A. 1)., i916.

{SEAL} R 1;. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Pa'tents. 

